Can opener



De@ l, 1931.. W, P, GISSKE 1,834,055

CAN OPENER Filed Feb. 24, 1951 .n www,

Patented Dec. 1,' 1.931

'UNITED STATES MTENTv OFFICE A WALTER P. GISSKE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGN'OR TO VAUGHAN' NOVEIIIY MFG. G0.,

' OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS GAN OPEm .Applicationled February 24, 1931. Serial No. 517,872.

This invention relates to improvements in can openers, and moreparticularly to can openers having a handle for firmly holding the Ksamewith one hand by operating the cutting mechanism with the other to cutthe top from a can.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved design forcan openers of the handle type-Which will insure positive and dependablecutting action. Bearing in mind that the canis not held in the handduring the cutting operation, it is therefore essential that the openerbe equipped with members which will take the place of the hand and bringabout the application of forces which will insure a smooth and positivecuttin/g operation.

preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the one styleof the can opener.

Figure 2 is na view of the same opener in end elevation.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the opener shown in Figure 1taken from the opposite side.

Figure 4' is a view in side elevation of a modified type oef opener withthe blade shifted to inoperative position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l with the blade in cuttingposition and Figure 6 is a view in endelevation of the same opener takenfrom the opposite side.

Referring to the opener shown in Figures 1 to 3, the operating parts arelocated at the outer end of a handle 1 preferably of wood and of a sizeand shape to be held securely in the hand. Mounted in one end of thehandle 1 is a relatively fixed blade-like arm projecting endwise fromthe end thereof, and pivotally connected with the end of the arm is aplate 3 extending at right angles to the handle 1 and arm 2, andconnected with the latter by a pin 4 passing through their overlappingend portions.

The outer end portion of the arm 2 is increased in width over the shortshank portion adjacent the handle and this wider portion hasta straightbottom, edge 2a which the plate 3 and spaced a short distance forms an.abutment for two cylindric lugs 5, 5 projecting from the rear face ofthe plate 3 and located on either side of a 'vertical line through thecenter of the ivot pin 4 (Figure 3). These lugs are oi) dierentdiameters and are so located as to permit a limited angular movement ofthe plate 3 relative to the a)rm 2 as shown indotted lines (Figure 3 Theplate 3 is elon ated in a direction transverse to the hand e 1 and arm2and journalled near its lower end is a toothed traction wheel 6 lyingilatwise -in close contact with the front face of the plate, and on theopposite side is a handle member 7 fixed to the wheelf so that the turntogether. The handle member is of the ger operative type, having twooppositely disposed radial arms or finger pieces 7a, 7a. At the lower ede of om the periphery of the traction wheel is a lug 8 projecting ashort distance beyond the face of said disc. l

Above the traction wheel is a cutting or shearing` lever 9 journalled onthe pivot pin 4 which joins the plate -3 with the arm 1. The cuttinglever has a long arm extending upwardly some distance beyond the upperedge of the arm and is surmounted by a laterally facing finger piece 9a.The relatively short arm eXtendin below the pivot pin is shaped to forma searing blade 10 defined by the oblique edges meeting in a point whichprojects downwardly and just overlaps the toothed edge of the wheel whenin cutting position, the pointed end of the blade bein oiiset from theplate 3 in order to clear an overlie the edge of the wheel. The blade isin shearing or cutting position when the lever is vert-ical, andparticularly when its inner edge contacts with an abutment or verticalshoulder 11 formed by slotting the upper edge ofthe' plate on the sideof the cutting lever adjacent the handle 1 and bending the metaloutwardlyy into the path of the lever.

On opposite sides of the'cutting lever 9 are lingers 12 and 13 extendingat right angles to the plate 3 and from the side on which the tractionwheel is located. The outermost finger 12 is an integral portion at theouter edge of the plate 3 bent at right angles, while the innermost finer 13 is an integral part of the arm 2 at t e inner. end of the widenedend portion and which is also bent at right angles: The lower edges ofthese fingers 12 and. 13 coincide with a line substantially parallelwith the axis of the handle 1. J i l As clearly shown in Figure- 2, theordinary type of can has a flange f around its rim which projectsedgewise and also laterally in the form of a rounded bead. Now, toinsert the can into the opener, the handle of the cuttingv lever ispressed forwardly thus shifting the cutting blade away from the tractionwheel 6 and out of its cutting position. `The rim of the can is thenplaced` against the plateso that its top edge bears against the fingers12 and 13, and the lower edge rests upon the periphery of the wheel. Thecutting lever is now swung forwardly carrying the point of the cuttingblade into contact with the top of the can just inwardly fromthe rimthereof. The lever is not quite vertical, however, but by turning thewheel in a counter-clock- Wise direction (Figure 1) rotates the can inthe same direction, and swings the lever into its vertical positionagainst the abutment 11, at the same time causing the point of the bladeto puncture the top and thus starting the cut."

Now, by continuing the turning of the wheel, the can rotates bodily andthe top thereof is sheared as it makes a complete revolution, leaving asmooth inner ledge about the opening. During the opening operation thecan is held upright and preferably just over or resting lightly on thesurface of a table so that after the top has been cut the opener may bedetached without danger of the can dropping.

The features to be emphasized in the action of the opener are thelimited pivotal movement between the arm 2 and plate 3, and the fingersbearing upon the rim of the can, the combined action being such that thecan is continually forced against the traction wheel, thus insuring therotative movement essential tothe shearing of the top. Moreover, t-hepivotal connection between the arm 2 and plate 3 with their respectivefingers 12 and 13 promotes greater adaptability to cans of differentsizes and cans with rims of vary- `ingiaheightl igures 4, 5 and 6 show amodified construction of an openerdifering from the previously describedtype in the form of cutting lever used. Assuming for sake of brevitythat the two openers are otherwise substantially the same inconstruction and operation, the modified feature .will be described. In

` this case the lever is a strip of tool steel bent in U- shape tostraddle the plate 15 and pivotally mounted thereon by a pin 16 with itsapex just clearing the upper edge thereof. The ends of the U-shapedlever extend downwardly, one end-on the side of the traction wheelforming the cutting blade 14a as before, while the end on the oppositeside of the plate is cut to form a gear'sector 145. Meshing with thegearsector is a gear member 17 fixed to and rotating-with the handle member18.

Thus as shown in Figures 4 and 6, a slight turn ofthe handle 18 in aclockwise direction (Figure 4) swings the lever 14 to an inclinedposition with the blade 14a removed from the traction wheel 19 so that acan may be inserted into cutting position. The movement of the cuttingblade, however, is limited to an arc of about 45o by the contact of thegear sector with the lower end of a shoulder 15al formed in the processof offsetting the end portion of the plate 15 adjacent the point ofpivotal vconnection with the arm 20.

Thus when the can is in position with its beaded edge in contact withthe traction wheel, it is only necessary to turn the handle 19 intheopposite or counter-clockwise direction (Figure 4) and the lever 14 isbrought into cutting position, and continued movement results in rst thepuncturing of the can top, and then the shearing cut as before. Thelever is brought to rest and held in its vertical cutting position byContact with the shoulder 15a, while the gear sector 14?) passes beyondand out of mesh with the gear wheel 17, so that the handle 18 andtraction whee 19 can be rotated freely. j

t Having set forth the novel features of my invention,

I claim:

1. A can opener comprising a handle, a plate pivotally mounted at oneend (of said handle for a limited movement relative thereto, a tractionwheel journalled on said plate, a cutting lever pivotally mounted onsaid plate adjacent said traction wheel and coacting therewith to cutaround the top of a Y can/as the same is rotated by contact with saidtraction wheel, and a pair of fingers, one on either side of said leverand extending at right angles to said plate, one of said fingers beingmounted on said plate and the other on said handle.

2. A can opener comprising a handle for holding the opener in one handand having a blade-like arm at one end, a plate pivotally connected withsaid arm for limited angular -relative displacement in fiatwis'e contactwith i 3. A can opener comprising a handle member having a blade-likearm eXtendin from one end, a plate pivotally connected 1n flatwisecontact with said arm and extending at right angles thereto, said plateand arm having coacting stop members for limiting the relative angulardisplacement, a traction Wheel journalled on one side of said plate, acutting blade pivotally mounted adjacent said Wheel and adapted tooverlie the periphery thereof in cutting position, and a pair of lingersdisposed on opposite sides of said cutting blade, one being formedintegral with said plate and the other with said arm, said fingers beingadapted to act as abutments for the edge of a can as the same is beingopened.

4. A can opener comprising a frame, coacting manually operated cuttlngmechanism mounted on said frame, a handle ivotally connected with saidframe and a apted to be held in one hand to support the opener whileoperating the cuttin mechanism with the other, and guide mem ers spacedapart on opposite sides of the cutting mechanism during the cuttingoperation, one of said members being on the frame and the other on thehandl 5. A can opener comprising a frame, cutting members including acutter and a traction wheel mounted on said frame, a handle pivotallyconnected with said frame for limited angular movement relative thereto,a guide member on said frame and a corresponding guide member onsaidhandle, said members being adapted' to bear upon the rim of the can onopposite sides of the cutter during the cutting operation.

Signed at Chicago, Ill., this 18th day of l February, 1931.

WALTER P. GISSKE.'

